Let me preface this by saying: I am not an artist [1]. Nor am I even remotely good at anything artistic. Like, I'm truly terrible at even drawing a stick figure. So, seriously, when I say these nail art trends [2] are easy, I mean it.
That being said, I love simple, minimal nail art and am constantly saving posts on IG from manicurists like Betina Goldstein [3] and Holly Falcone [4]. I'm also all about the bright colour combinations and mod designs that are popping up as the summer nail art trends [5]. After watching a few DIY manicure [6] tutorials from various nail artists, I decided to take the plunge and try out a few of the less-complicated designs myself, most of which could be done either just with the polish brush itself or with common household items. Think: paper clips and toothpicks.
Keep reading to see how each attempt turned out and what I used to create the designs, and then try out these summer nail art trends for yourself.
Mismatched Matte
One of my favourites masterpieces [7] of colour combos from Goldstein is this mismatched skittles manicure, the finishing touch of the matte top coat is what sets this assortment apart. From pinky to thumb I used Orosa Pure Cover Nail Paint in Star [8] ($12), J.Hannah Nailpolish in Miso [9] ($19), Orosa Pure Cover Nail Paint in Succulent [10] ($12), Orosa Pure Cover Nail Paint in Sky [11] ($12), and J.Hannah Nailpolish in Chanterelle [12] ($19).
Baby Flowers
I've been seeing the tiny flower mani trend all over Insta, and thought a variation on this one [13] from Sashanie Gray looked doable. For the middle of the flowers, I used Chanel Longwear Nail Colour in Coralium [14] ($28) and Chanel Longwear Nail Colour in Bleu Pastel [15] ($28), and made the circle with the head of a small nail. Then, I used the other end of the same nail and
Orosa Pure Cover Nail Paint in Snow [16] ($12) to make the slightly-smaller petals.
Negative Space French
Different variations on the classic french manicure are all the rage right now, and I love this one that uses just a touch of negative space by Melanie of @theoverglowedit [17]. Instead of doing a curved edge (sorry, too hard!), I opted for a straight edge. I dipped the side of a paper clip in the Chanel Longwear Nail Colour in Pirate [18] ($28) to make the initial straight line, then filled in the top part of my nails. For this one, the shinier the finish the better!
Shades of Peach
Peach is one of my favourite shades to use for manis across the board, so I immediately gravitated to this pairing [19] by Goldstein. I used the medium and small nail heads again to make these dots, using J.Hannah Nailpolish in Himalayan Salt [20] ($19) and Orosa Pure Cover Nail Paint in Moon [21] ($12), and finished with the shiny côte Strengthening Base & Top [22] ($21)
Neon Mid-Century
This one from @theeditorialnail [23] was definitely the most difficult to pull off — everything was fine until I got to the black lines! I opted for a more muted shade for the yellow-green, specifically J.Hannah's Nailpolish in Miso [24] ($19). To make the large circle, I used the flat head of an extra-large nail. For the smaller bottom dot, I used Orosa's Pure Cover Nail Paint in Onyx [25] ($12) and a bobby pin. Before you make the line, make sure the polish you've already put on is close to or almost completely dry or else it's likely to smudge. Once you're ready, dip the edge of a paperclip (or toothpick or bobby pin or safety pin) into the black polish and carefully make the line.
Monochrome Dots
To recreate this poppy summer mani [26] from Goldstein, I used the head of a medium-sized nail, a small nail, and a toothpick. If you don't have any of those around, you could also use the back of a pen, one tine of a fork, or a bobby pin — anything that will make different size circles. I paired a trio of bright reds and pinks: Chanel Longwear Nail Colour in Pirate [27] ($28), Chanel Longwear Nail Colour in Camelia [28] ($28), and Chanel Longwear Nail Colour in Coralium [29] ($28), finished with côte's Matte Top [30] ($21).